Cold Gotham Nights
by DeltaCharlie87
Summary: One-shot Barbara reflects on her first real failure as Batgirl, and gets some pointers.


**Cold Gotham Nights**

_Hey everyone this is my first story on . Any and all feedback is welcome as I am trying to get better at writing. So if you like it, please review. If you don't like it, definitely review. Thanks._

Batgirl reached for the grappling hook hung around her golden utility belt. Holding it in two trembling, gloved hands, she aimed for the ledge of the nearby apartment block. Carefully firing it, the metal end lodged onto the worn stone. She tugged on it, feeling her body leave the ground and swing through the cold Gotham air. As her body swung upwards, she realized she miscalculated her move, slamming into the side of the building. Clenching onto the grapple gun with one hand, she rubbed her armored shoulder tenderly, groaning at the developing bruise. Slowly, she hauled herself over the edge, collapsing onto the floor.

She wrapped her arms around her body, tossing her cowl to the side, causing her red hair to flow freely in the wind. Batgirl had failed tonight. Barbara Gordon had failed tonight, and it almost cost the lives of four innocents. Her degree of excellence and perfectionism had failed her.

"_What were you thinking?" Batman had asked her, his caped back facing her. Turning to her, his silhouette made Batgirl swallow. His pitch-black cape draped over his dark grey bodysuit, and in the shadow, she could only make out his glowing white lenses from his cowl. "I told you what must happen if I let you do this. You follow my rules, and I make the rules. You disobeyed orders this time, and you almost let the Joker kill the hostages."_

"_Batman, I-", Batgirl stopped herself. She knew he wouldn't listen to his excuses, even if she had any. She couldn't bring herself to look up at him._

_A GCPD officer entered the room. "Um, Batman? The commissioner wants you to escort the transport to Arkham. Is that alright?"_

"_Yes." He turned away from her as he headed out the exit, his cape gently billowing in the entering breeze._

Barbara couldn't help it as tears started making their way down her face. She became Batgirl because she believed in what the Dark Knight was doing, inspired by him to make her own Batsuit. She went against her father's back to impress him, and it worked. He gave her a chance, and she let him down. She let _herself_ down.

She pulled a handkerchief from the back pouch of her utility belt, dabbing her face. She reached up for the ledge to give her some support. Barbara walked over to her cowl, picking it up and looking at it dead on. _Maybe I'm not cut out for this._

Barbara put her cowl back on, clicking it back in place to the rest of her suit. Reaching for her grapple gun once more, all she wanted to do was go home, and deal with Batman later.

She ran across the Gotham skyline, the polluted, red skies in her vision. Grappling up the old GothCorp building, she pushed off the side into a backflip, opening her black and yellow cape to glide towards the residential district.

Batgirl cushioned her fall by ducking into a roll as she landed on the apartment building opposite the one she shared with her father. As she set her eyes on the window of her room, she was interrupted by a phone call.

Incoming call. Daddy.

"Hey dad."

"Hey Barb, where are you now? It's late."

"I was out studying with some friends, I'm almost home."

"Do you need me to pick you up?"

"No dad, get some rest. I saw what happened with the Joker."

"Alright, I bought some takeaway for you. Don't take too long. Love you Barb."

"Love you too dad." She hung up.

Barbara watched through the living room window as her father left her dinner on the table before heading towards his room. She continued to watch him as he grabbed his pajamas and entered the bathroom.

"Rough night?" A bright voice appeared from behind.

Batgirl reached for a batarang as she spun around towards the source of the voice. She sighed as she lowered her arm.

_Robin._

"The worst."

"Batman told me what happened. You doin' okay?" Barbara noticed his voice lowered an octave, but all she could think about was her failure.

"I bet you he told me I was such a failure, right? Or that I don't deserve to wear this symbol, that I'm not good enough and that I should go back to being _Commissioner James Gordon's little girl_? Or maybe I'm such a pain in his ass?"

Robin looked at her panting. His expression did not change through his black domino mask. "No." Barbara snapped upwards.

"What?"

"He told me he was proud of you for taking charge, and though you made a mistake. You're a true hero. I'd agree.", he said, flashing a bright grin.

"You're just making me feel better."

"No, no, Barb. I mean it. I mean I _am_ trying to make you feel better, but Bruce really did say that. You made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes. Bruce made mistakes. I made mistakes. We still do sometimes." Robin stepped closer, removing his mask and tucking it into his more battle-worn gold belt. Dick Grayson rested a green glove on Barbara's shoulder.

"But I'm not supposed to make mistakes. I-"

"Yeah, yeah we get it 'Miss Straight A's'. No one is ever supposed to do anything. Life is life. You don't lose if you learn from your mistakes."

Barbara couldn't help but return a light smile. "Grayson, is this your attempt at giving me a motivational speech?"

Dick blinked twice. "Is it working?"

Barbara pondered what he said. "Somehow, yeah. Thanks Dick."

He smiled his trademark smile once again. "Anytime-" he stepped back as Barbara gave him a hug. "Uh, what is this for?"

She pulled back from his red tunic, "For being a total loser. And the best friend anyone could ask for." Barbara gave him a light kiss on his cheek, feeling him smile again. "One day I'm gonna wipe that smile off that smug face."

"No chance. So you gonna go home?"

"Yeah I-" Sirens sounded in the distance. "Dammit. Really?"

"We're in Gotham, sirens are our theme song. How 'bout it BG? You think they can handle the dynamic duo?"

"You're such a loser." Barbara turned as she run off the edge, grappling in the direction of the sirens. She could see the red Gotham skies, feeling the cold Gotham air and hear Dick laughing behind her as he followed.


End file.
